Unspeakable (2000 Video)
5/10
Mixed feelings
6 August 2004
This basically has a lot of what you expect from a Troma film: unrelenting gore, cheesy acting, demented sexual content and a nonstop outpour of gratuitously shocking moments. The problem with "Unspeakable" is it seems to be taking itself seriously. How else can you explain the over-dramatic music score? But how am I supposed to take the film seriously with such horrible acting and unsympathetic characters? The main star is supposed to be constantly depressed over the loss of his daughter and disfiguration of his wife, yet he never sheds a tear. All he does is howl and make faces like he's constipated. It's revealed early in the film that the main character has abused his daughter sexually in the past. So how am I supposed to feel sympathy for him and his quest to kill? He should've just killed himself. And his wife deserved to be disfigured (or better yet, dead), since she's revealed to be nothing more than a nag. The director gives us no reason to feel sympathy for her. Despite the flaws, I really wasn't too disappointed with the flick. First of all, it's made by Troma. I've acquired a taste (or "tastelessness") for Troma, and can officially call myself a Troma fan. So it's hard for me to be disappointed by the poor aesthetic quality of Troma film. You can attack this movie from all angles.

Aside from the things I've mentioned, the cinematography is sloppy and so is the editing. I was, however, slightly disappointed by the lack of gratuitous nudity. That is a Troma trademark. It's best to view this as an exploitation film. As I said, the major problem with it is it seems to take itself seriously. If that was the director's intention, then he failed. The plot doesn't contain the same drama as Thomas Jane avenging his family in "The Punisher." Like in any trashy exploitation horror flick, you're just waiting for the next violent murder to occur. And to give the film credit, it did sustain my interest for the whole 81 minutes. I don't care how it sustained my interest--the point is it did. I guess you can say this film is not for the squeamish, but I found the blood and gore effects so cheesy that I couldn't be disgusted by it. The most disgusting part of the movie, for me, is the gag that involves a demented caretaker having oral sex with the main character's disfigured wife, who just crapped all over herself. But if there weren't moments like that, Troma wouldn't release the film.
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